INTRODUCTION The researchers will be discussing the factors affecting the decisions of parents in selecting future care plans

for their child with special needs. This topic is already an existing study by the students of Mindanao University of Science and Technology. Since, the students from there studied the matter in a perspective for a Special Education teacher, here; the researchers would like to extend this study using microeconomic concepts that are applicable in it. In lieu of this matter, the researchers would like to achieve in answering these guide questions: a. What are some of the microeconomic theories that the researchers have learned that are applicable in the study? b. What are the factors that influence the decisions of parents in selecting future care plans for their child with special needs? (In a microeconomic perspective) c. What will be the cost-benefit analysis of their chosen decision? The significance of the study is that the researchers will tackle the topic in another perspective- that is, using microeconomics as our basis for analysis. In this study, the researches would aspire to help other parents with a child with special needs so that they, too, will lead into decisions that are financial-maximizing and also cost efficient.

Before digging into further detail, the researchers would like to define the following applicable terms. This will also serve as our basis for our analysis of different cases. The Budget Constraint. The budget constraint, according to Bensanko and Braeutigam (2006), defines the set of baskets that a consumer can purchase with a limited amount of income. The budget constraint is then graphed using a budget line, the set of baskets that a consumer can purchase when spending all of his or her available income. (Bensanko & Braeutigam, 2006)

FIGURE 1: Budget Line

In this graphical representation of the budget line, it represents two goods, x and y, that are affordable by the consumer. Here the consumer can wish to buy less or more of either good of x or y and still be able to afford because the prices of the two goods are within the budget line. The budget line is downward-sloping. It indicates that when a

consumer decides to consume more of either of the two goods, x or y, the consumer must give up some of the other good, y or x, in order to be within his/ her means. Increase of a consumers income or a decrease in prices will cause the increase of the purchasing power of the consumer, making the budget line move away from the origin (0). A decrease of the consumers income or an increase in prices will cause otherwise. The Optimal Choice. Optimal choice, as noted by Besanko and Braeutigam (2006), is a consumer choice of a basket of goods that maximizes satisfaction (utility) while allowing him/her to live within his/her budget constraint (financial means). The optimal choice of the consumer is when a point of the indifference curve, in which by the way is a set of bundles among which the consumer is indifferent. (Frank, 2010), touches a point of the
Figure 2: Indifference Curve

budget line (tangent). In an indifference curve, there are different bunches of consumption baskets that yield the same utility. It also assumes that the higher the utility, the farther the indifference curves from its origin (0). Consumer preferences are indications of how a consumer would rank any two possible baskets, assuming that the baskets were available at no cost (Besanko &

Braeutigam, 2006). Consumer preferences can be determined through ordinal and cardinal ranking. Ordinal ranking is a ranking that indicates whether a consumer prefers one basket to another, but does not contain quantitative information about the intensity of that preference (Besanko & Braeutigam, 2006). Cardinal ranking is a quantitative measure of the intensity if a preference for one basket over the other (Besanko & Braeutigam, 2006). Opportunity cost, according to Frank (2006), is the value of all that must be sacrificed to do the activity. According to Besanko and Braeutigam (2006), it is the next best alternative that is forgone when another alternative is chosen. It is then classified into explicit and implicit costs. Implicit costs are costs that do not involve outlays of cash while an explicit cost does otherwise. (Besanko & Braeutigam, 2006) Since weve already indentify some of the microeconomic concepts that are applicable to the study, we must then proceed into the factors that influence the decision of the parents with CSN when selecting future health care for them. One is the financial capability of the family with a child with special needs. It is the most essential criterion when selecting future care plans for their CSN. According to the research conducted by the students of Mindanao University of Science and Technology, 33% of the parents who responded to the survey have income brackets from P5, 000- P10, 000 monthly. However, according to the National Statistics Coordination Board, the average annual family income is P206, 000 or P17, 166. 67 monthly. Thus that the familys monthly income is below average. Because of this, they

have a low purchasing power and they have to consider wiser choices to allocate their money into necessities. This also means that, families with this kind of income bracket may have to consider not taking their child with special needs into a better health care facility because of their financial constraint. The researchers would also like to point out that the income brackets are like this because of the kind of lives they live in. Referring again to the research conducted by them, only 16. 5% and 17% of the respondents attained their college diploma and vocational degree respectively. Thus, the remaining 66.5% of the respondents didnt finish the whole duration of school. It indicates that most of the families cannot have a decent form of living and will have slow flow on income. Lastly, the financial constraint is also due to the kind of job they have. Half of the number of the respondents, or 50% of them, is working as a housekeeper and as we all know that common housekeeping jobs come with a minimum income. Because of this, though they have a steady flow of money, it doesnt mean that the flow indicated isnt satisfactory to the familys needs. The next criterion when parents select future mental health care for their child with special needs would be the kind of mental health care facility their child wants to be admitted to. Is the facility good enough for their child with special needs? Is the staff in the institution good enough for the child? Or is it that the place is even good enough to let their child with special needs stay in? These are the primary concerns of parents of their child with special needs when they choose a mental health care facility. This is for parents who do wish to admit their child with special needs in a mental health care

facility. In Cagayan de Oro, there are 4 facilities for both the handicapped and the mentally retarded children can be served. However, location is not just only the primary basis when they choose a mental care health care facility. It could be that the parents dont regard the location issue and just wish to choose a better mental health care facility than the ones in Cagayan de Oro city and wish to send their child with special needs to Cebu or Bacolod. It could be feasible if parents do have the financial capability do so. Otherwise, it is not feasible at all. The third factor that influences the decision of these parents will be their physical ability to take care of them. According to the data the former researchers, 92% of the respondents strongly agree that it is the parents responsibility to ensure a stable living for their child with special needs. However, the parents plan for their CSNs future is also concerned with how about when the parents themselves will become old. They will not be able to live up to their responsibilities as their parents. Parents with steady and decent financial means can attend to an alternative that involves their child with special needs to be admitted to a mental health care facility so that they will worry less of their child. According to their data, 33% of the respondents somewhat agree that their child with special needs should be admitted into a health care facility if they are financially stable and also physically impotent. However, for those parents who dont wish to admit their child because of the financial constraint can attend to an alternative that involves their CSN be on the hands of the CSNs siblings or his or her closest relatives. Referring again to their data presented, 75% of the respondents strongly expect the CSNs siblings will be responsible of the care giving roles their parents left them, especially to their daughters, which is 50%.

To recall, the researchers already identified the microeconomic concepts that is most likely applied in the study. Also, the researchers already cited factors that influence the decision of parents when they select future mental health care plans for their child with special needs. The researchers will have to do is to identify the costs and benefits of their selected choices for their child with special needs. In the costs of the decisions made for their child with special needs, the concept doesnt only apply the explicit costs, but also the implicit costs. The concept doesnt look into the costs already made but into the possible costs that could have been incurred if the decision is already made. In the first place, most of the respondents, 92% of them, would rather that they will take care of the CSN. The costs of this would be additional time and effort for them to take care of the child since these children should be given a time that is different from normal parents, also the implicit costs like food, clothing, and other necessities. Because of this not only they may possibly cant find time for themselves, but also to their other children as well. It would also cause the time and effort on the part of their siblings too, since the CSNs siblings are a part of the family. According to the data made by the former researchers, even if the families with a child with needs are financially stable, they would prefer that the CSNs siblings, 75% of the respondents answered, would be the ones who take care of them if the parents will be unable to do so. Because of this, their purchasing power for their other necessities will decrease thus limiting their possible choices to utilize their wants.

The brighter side of the story is that, the parents and its siblings will be more responsible because of their duties unto the child with special needs. As reported in the data, all of them agreed that the future planning for their CSN causes them to communicate effectively and work together as a family. Because of this, the parents spend time more on their children discussing about the future health care for their CSN and can work together more as husband and wife. The siblings will also be more responsible as to what the CSNs conditions are and the necessary help that they may lay on their sister or brother with special needs.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION The researchers discussed the factors that influence the decisions made by the parents with a child with special needs and how these decisions affect them as not just only parents, but also a family as well. With this, the researchers would like to conclude this with a few points: There are many factors that influence the familys decision for the future health care of the CSN. Those ones that are mentioned above are common ones and are based on the data given by the former researchers. As every economist would say, There is no free lunch. Decisions made by the parents consists of trade-offs, implicit or explicit. They may be a burden to the families and also, they may receive benefits from it. Based on the conclusion made the researchers would like to recommend this: Choose wisely. The best option that they will choose is the option wherein both the families, though in a compromising situation, must end up with a decision that will satiate both their needs and the CSNs needs.